Therecameapauseinthecourses。Helookedathercritically。
Shewasveryhandsomelydressedinawalkingcostumeofdove-colouredgrey。Theostrichfeatherswhichdroopedfromherlargehatwerealmostpriceless。Shehadtheundeniableairofbeingapersonofbreeding。Butshewaspalereventhanusual，herhair，notwithstandingitscarefularrangement，gavesignsofbeingalittlethininfront。Therewerewrinklesatthecornersofhereyes。Sheknewthesethings，butsheborehisinspectionwithindifference。
“Iwonder，“hesaidreflectively，“whatwemenseeinyou。Youhaveplentyofadmirers。TheysaythatGreftongothimselfshotoutatthefrontbecauseyoutreatedhimbadly。Yet-youarenotmuchtolookat，areyou？“
Shelaughedathim。Herswasneverapleasantlaugh，butthistimeitwasatleastnatural。
“Howdiscriminating，“shedeclared。“Iamanuglywoman，andmenoftasteusuallypreferuglywomen。ThenIamalwayswelldressed。
Iknowhowtowearmyclothes。AndIhaveashockingreputation。
Areallywickedwoman，IonceheardpiousoldLadySurbitoncallme！
Dearoldthing！Itdidmenoendofgood。ThenIhavetheverygreatadvantageofnevercaringforanyonemorethanafewdaystogether。Menfindthatannoying。“
“Youhaveviolentfancies，“heremarked，“andstrangeones。“
“Perhaps，“sheadmitted。“Theyconcernnooneexceptmyself。“
“ThisSouspenniercraze，forinstance！“
Shenodded。
“Well，youcan’tsaythatI’mnothonest。Itispositivelymyonlyvirtue。Iadorethetruth。Iloathealie。Thatisonereason，Idaresay，whyIcanonlybarelytolerateyou。Youareashocking-agrossliar。“
“Muriel！“
“Oh，don’tlookatmelikethat，“sheexclaimedirritably。“Youmusthearthetruthsometimes。Andnow，pleaserememberthatI
cametolunchwithyoutohearaboutyourvisitthismorning。“
ThePrincegnawedhismoustache，andthelightinhiseyeswasnotapleasantthingtosee。Thiswomanwithherrecklesslife，heroddfascination，herbrusquehatredofaffectations，wasaconstanttormenttohim。Ifonlyhecouldoncegetherthoroughlyintohispower。
“Myvisit，“hesaid，“waswhollysuccessful。Itcouldnotwellbeotherwise。LucillehasreturnedtoDorsetHouse。SouspennierisconfoundedaltogetherbyalittlerevelationwhichIventuredtomake。Hespokeofanappeal。Ilethimknowwithwhomhewouldhavetodeal。Ilefthimnervelessandcrushed。Hecandonothingsavebyopenrevolt。Andifhetriesthat-well，therewillbenomoreofthiswonderfulMr。Sabin。“
“Altogetheratriumphtoyou，“sheremarkedscornfully。“Oh，I
knowthesortofthing。But，afterall，mydearFerdinand，whatoflastnight。Ihatethewoman，butsheplayedthegame，andplayeditwell。Wewerefooled，bothofus。AndtothinkthatI-“
Shebrokeoffwithashortlaugh。ThePrincelookedathercuriously。
“Perhaps，“hesaid，“youhadsomeideaofconsolingthedesolatehusband？“
“PerhapsIhad，“sheansweredcoolly。“Itdidn’tcomeoff，didit？
Ordermesomecoffee，andgivemeacigarette，myfriend。Ihavesomethingelsetosaytoyou。“
Heobeyedher，andsheleanedbackinthehighchair。
“Listentome，“shesaid。“IhavenothingwhatevertodowithyouandLucille。IsupposeyouwillgetyourrevengeonSouspennierthroughher。Itwon’tbelikeyouifyoudon’ttry，andyououghttohavethegameprettywellinyourownhands。ButIwon’thaveSouspennierharmed。Youunderstand？“
Heshruggedhisshoulders。
“Souspennier，“hesaid，“musttakecare。Ifheoverstepstheboundshemustpaythepenalty。“
Sheleanedforward。Therewasalookinherfacewhichheknewverywell。
“YouandIunderstandoneanother，“shesaidcoolly。“Ifyouwantmeforanenemyyoucanhaveme。VerylikelyIshalltellyoubeforelongthatyoucandowhatyoulikewiththeman。ButuntilIdoitwillbeverydangerousforyouifharmcomestohim。“
“Itisnouse，“heanswereddoggedly。“Ifheattackshemustbesilenced。“
“Ifheattacks，“sheanswered，“youmustgivemetwenty-fourhoursclearnoticebeforeyoumoveahandagainsthim。Afterwards-well，wewilldiscussthat。“
“Youhadbetter，“hesaid，lookingatherwithanuglygleaminhiseyes，“persuadehimtotakeyouforalittletourontheContinent。
Itwouldbesafer。“
“Ifhewouldcome，“shesaidcoolly，“Iwouldgoto-morrow。Buthewon’t-justyet。Nevermind。YouhaveheardwhatIwantedtosay。
Nowshallwego？Iamgoingtogetsomesleepthisafternoon。
EverybodytellsmethatIlooklikeaghost。“
“WhynotcometoGrosvenorSquarewithme？“heleaningalittleacrossthetable。“PatoffshallmakeyousomeRussiantea，andafterwardsyoushallsleepaslongasyoulike。“
“Howidyllic！“sheanswered，withafaintsarcasticsmile。“Itgoestomyhearttodeclinesocharminganinvitation。But，totellyouthetruth，itwouldboremeexcessively。“
Hemutteredsomethingunderhisbreathwhichstartledthewaiterathiselbow。Thenhefollowedheroutoftheroom。Shepausedforafewmomentsintheporticotofinishbuttoninghergloves。
“Manythanksformylunch，“shesaid，noddingtohimcarelessly。
“I’msureI’vebeenadelightfulcompanion。“
“Youhavebeenaverytormentingone，“heansweredgloomilyashefollowedheroutontothepavement。
“YoushouldtryLucille，“shesuggestedmaliciously。
Hestoodbyhersidewhiletheywaitedforhercarriage，andlookedathercritically。Herslim，elegantfigurehadneverseemedmoreattractivetohim。Eventheinsolenceofhertoneandmannerhadanoddsortoffascination。Hetriedtoholdforamomentthefingerswhichgraspedherskirt。
“Ithink，“hewhispered，“thatafteryouLucillewouldbedull！“
Shelaughed。
“ThatisbecauseLucillehasmoralsandaconscience，“shesaid，“andIhaveneither。But，dearme，howmuchmorecomfortablyonegetsonwithoutthem。No，thankyou，Prince。Mycoupeisonlybuiltforone。Remember。“
Sheflunghimacarelessnodfromthewindow。ThePrinceremainedonthepavementuntilafterthelittlebroughamhaddrivenaway。
Thenhesmiledsoftlytohimselfasheturnedtofollowit。
“No！“hesaid。“Ithinknot！IthinkthatshewillnotgetourgoodfriendSouspennier。Weshallsee！“
Abarelyfurnishedman’sroom，comfortable，austere，scholarly。
Therefugeofabusyman，tojudgebythepilesofbooksandpaperswhichlitteredthelargeopenwriting-table。Thereweredespatchboxesturnedupsidedown，aseaofparchmentandfoolscap。Inthemidstofitallamandeepinthought。
Avisitor，enteringwiththefreedomofanoldacquaintance，laidhishanduponhisshoulderandgreetedhimwithanairofsuppressedenthusiasm。
“Planningthecampaign，eh，Brott？OristhatahandbooktoCourtetiquette？Youwillneeditwithintheweek。Thereareallsortsofrumoursattheclubs。“
Brottshookhimselffreefromhisfitofapatheticreflection。Hewouldnothavedaredtotellhisvisitorwherehisthoughtshadbeenforthelasthalfhour。
“Somehow，“hesaid，“IdonotthinkthatlittletriptoWindsorwillcomejustyet。TheKingwillneversendformeunlessheiscompelled。“
Hisvisitor，anex-CabinetMinister，apronouncedRadicalandalifelongfriendofBrott’s，shruggedhisshoulders。
“Thattime，“hesaid，“isverycloseathand。HewillsendforLetheringhamfirst，ofcourse，andgreatpressurewillbebroughttobearuponhimtoformaministry。Butwithoutyouhewillbehelpless。Hehasnottheconfidenceofthepeople。“
“Withoutme，“Brottrepeatedslowly。“YouthinkthenthatIshouldnotacceptofficewithLetheringham？“
Hisvisitorregardedhimsteadilyforamoment，open-mouthed，obviouslytakenaback。
“Brott，areyouinyourrightsenses？“heaskedincredulously。“Doyouknowwhatyouaresaying？“
Brottlaughedalittlenervously。
“Thisisagreatissue，Grahame，“hesaid。“IwillconfessthatI
aminanundecidedstate。Iamnotsurethatthecountryisinasufficientlyadvancedstateforourpropaganda。Isthisreallyouropportunity，orisitonlytheshadowofwhatistocomethrownbefore？Ifweshowourhandtoosoonallislostforthisgeneration。Don’tlookatmeasthoughIwereinsane，Grahame。
RememberthatthecountryisonlyjustfreefromalongeraofConservativerule。“
“Thebetterouropportunity，“Grahameansweredvigorously。“Twodecadesofpuppetgovernmentareenervating，Iadmit，buttheyonlypavethewaymoresurelytotheinevitablereaction。Whatisthematterwithyou，Brott？Areyouill？Thisisthegreatmomentofourlives。YoumustspeakatManchesterandBirminghamwithinthisweek。Glasgowisalreadypreparingforyou。Everythingandeverybodywaitsforyourjudgment。GoodGod，man，it’smagnificent！
Where’syourenthusiasm？WithinamonthyoumustbePrimeMinister，andwewillshowtheworldthewaytoanewera。“
Brottsatquitestill。Hisfriend’swordshadstirredhimforthemoment。Yetheseemedthevictimofacuriousindecision。Grahameleanedovertowardshim。
“Brott，oldfriend，“hesaid，“youarenotill？“
Brottshookhishead。
“Iamperfectlywell，“hesaid。
Grahamehesitated。
“Itisadelicatethingtomention，“hesaid。“PerhapsIshallpasseventheboundsofouroldcomradeship。Butyouhavechanged。
Somethingiswrongwithyou。Whatisit？“
“Thereisnothing，“Brottanswered，lookingup。“Itisyourfancy。
Iamwellenough。“
Grahame’sfacewasdarkwithanxiety。
“Thisisnoidlecuriosityofmine，“hesaid。“Youknowmebetterthanthat。Butthecausewhichisnearermyheartthanlifeitselfisatstake。Brott，youarethepeople’sman，theirpromisedredeemer。Thinkofthem，thetoilers，theoppressed，God’schildren，groaningundertheiniquitouslawsofgenerationsofevilstatesmanship。Itisthedawnoftheirnewday，theirfacesareturnedtoyou。Man，can’tyouhearthemcrying？Youcan’tfailthem。Youmustn’t。Idon’tknowwhatisthematterwithyou，Brott，butawaywithit。Freeyourself，man。“
Brottsighedwearily，butalreadytherewasachangeinhim。Hisfacewashardening-thelinesinhisfacedeepened。Grahamecontinuedhastily-eagerly。
“Publicmen，“hesaid，“arealwaysatthemercyofthehalfpennypress，butyouknow，Brott，yourappearancesoofteninSocietylatelyhassetmen’stongueswagging。Thereisnoharmdone，butitistimetostopthem。Youarerighttowanttounderstandthesepeople。Youmustgodownamongstthem。IthasbeenslumminginMayfairforyou，Iknow。Buthavedonewithitnow。Itisthesepeoplewearegoingtofight。Letitbeopenwar。LetthemhearyourprogrammeatGlasgow。Wedon’twantanotherFrenchRevolution，butitisgoingtobewaragainstthedrones，fierce，mercilesswar！
Youmustbreakwiththem，Brott，onceandforever。Andthetimeisnow。“
Brottheldouthishandacrossthetable。Noonebutthisonemancouldhavereadthestruggleinhisface。
“Youareright，Grahame。Ithankyou。Ithankyouasmuchforwhatyouhaveleftunsaidasforwhatyouhavesaid。Iwasafooltothinkofcompromising。Letheringhamisanervelessleader。Weshouldhavegonepotteringonforanothersevenyears。ThankGodthatyoucamewhenyoudid。Seehere！“
Hetossedhimoveraletter。Grahame’scheekpaledasheread。
“Already！“hemurmured。
Brottnodded。
“Readit！“
Grahamedevouredeveryword。Hiseyeslitupwithexcitement。
“Myprophecyexactly，“heexclaimed，layingitdown。“ItisasI
said。Hecannotformtheministrywithoutyou。Hisletterisabject。Hegiveshimselfaway。Itisanentreaty。Andyouranswer？“
“Hasnotyetgone，“Brottsaid。“Youshallwriteityourselfifyoulike。Iamthankfulthatyoucamewhenyoudid。“
“Youwerehesitating？“Grahameexclaimed。
“Iwas。“。
